ISPs across Europe raided in file-sharing investigation

Emma Woollacott, 7th September 2010

Police forces across Europe conducted raids this morning on the premises of ISPs and private individuals over suspicions that they were illegaly file-sharing.

Raids were conducted in 14 European countries, including Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Italy. The two-year investigation was kicked off by Belgium, and relates primarily to Warez sites.

Seven different locations were raided in Sweden, prosecutors confirm. According to TorrentFreak, these include PRQ, which hosts Wikileaks and Pirate Bay.

However, Swedish prosecutor Frederick Ingblad told local new serviceExpressen.se that the raid was unconnected to Wiileaks.The raids, say the Swedish officials, are related to the file-sharing network known as 'The Scene', used mainly for the distribution of movies.

"Several computers and servers have been seized for further investigation," say Swedish prosecutors in a statement. "Four people have been interviewed on suspicion of violation of copyright law."

In Stockholm, raids were carried out against two unnamed internet service providers, and equipment was also seized at Umeå University - although the purpose of this was to obtain information on specific IP addresses, and nobody at either organization is under suspicion, they say.